CVE-2016-2568
pkexec, when used with --user nonpriv, allows local users to escape to the parent session via a...
pkexec, when used with --user nonpriv, allows local users to escape to the parent session via a crafted TIOCSTI ioctl call, which pushes characters to the terminal's input buffer.
Attack profile
How easy it is to exploit
- Attack vector
- Local
- Complexity
- High
- Privileges needed
- Low
- User interaction
- None
What an attacker can affect
- Confidentiality
- High
- Integrity
- High
- Availability
- High
Exploit likelihood
What each source reports
NVD Score used
pkexec, when used with --user nonpriv, allows local users to escape to the parent session via a crafted TIOCSTI ioctl call, which pushes characters to the terminal's input buffer.
- Record
CVE-2016-2568- CVSS 3.1
- 7.8 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H - CVSS 2.0
- 4.4 Medium
AV:L/AC:M/Au:N/C:P/I:P/A:P - Weakness
- CWE-116
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
CVE List No score
pkexec, when used with --user nonpriv, allows local users to escape to the parent session via a crafted TIOCSTI ioctl call, which pushes characters to the terminal's input buffer.
- Record
CVE-2016-2568- Updated
- 2026-11-02
EUVDEUVD-2016-3642 No score
pkexec, when used with --user nonpriv, allows local users to escape to the parent session via a crafted TIOCSTI ioctl call, which pushes characters to the terminal's input buffer.
- Record
EUVD-2016-3642- Updated
- 2026-11-02
GitHub AdvisoriesGHSA-8vgc-x7hv-3g84
pkexec, when used with --user nonpriv, allows local users to escape to the parent session via a...
pkexec, when used with --user nonpriv, allows local users to escape to the parent session via a crafted TIOCSTI ioctl call, which pushes characters to the terminal's input buffer.
- Record
GHSA-8vgc-x7hv-3g84- CVSS 3.1
- 7.8 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H - Weakness
- CWE-116
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSVAZL-35109
CVE-2016-2568 affecting package polkit for versions less than 123-1
pkexec, when used with --user nonpriv, allows local users to escape to the parent session via a crafted TIOCSTI ioctl call, which pushes characters to the terminal's input buffer.
- Record
AZL-35109- CVSS 3.1
- 7.8 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H - Updated
- 2026-11-05
OSVAZL-6800
CVE-2016-2568 affecting package polkit 0.119-4
pkexec, when used with --user nonpriv, allows local users to escape to the parent session via a crafted TIOCSTI ioctl call, which pushes characters to the terminal's input buffer.
- Record
AZL-6800- CVSS 3.1
- 7.8 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H - Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSV
pkexec, when used with --user nonpriv, allows local users to escape to the parent session via a crafted TIOCSTI ioctl call, which pushes characters to the terminal's input buffer.
- Record
CVE-2016-2568- CVSS 3.1
- 7.8 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H - Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSVDEBIAN-CVE-2016-2568
pkexec, when used with --user nonpriv, allows local users to escape to the parent session via a crafted TIOCSTI ioctl call, which pushes characters to the terminal's input buffer.
- Record
DEBIAN-CVE-2016-2568- CVSS 3.1
- 7.8 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H - Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSVUBUNTU-CVE-2016-2568
pkexec, when used with --user nonpriv, allows local users to escape to the parent session via a crafted TIOCSTI ioctl call, which pushes characters to the terminal's input buffer.
- Record
UBUNTU-CVE-2016-2568- CVSS 3.1
- 7.8 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H - Updated
- 2026-11-02
Affected products
Affected packages
| Package | Affected | Fixed |
|---|---|---|
polkitAzure Linux:3 |
before 123-1 | 123-1 |
polkitAzure Linux:2 |
through 0.119-4 | None known |
policykit-1Debian:12 |
All versions, plus listed versions 122-3122-4123-1123-2123-3 Show 10 moreShow less124-1124-2124-3125-1125-2126-1126-2127-1127-2127-3 |
None known |
policykit-1Debian:13 |
before 123-1 | 123-1 |
policykit-1Debian:14 |
before 123-1 | 123-1 |
policykit-1Ubuntu:Pro:14.04:LTS |
All versions, plus listed versions 0.105-3ubuntu30.105-4ubuntu10.105-4ubuntu20.105-4ubuntu2.14.04.10.105-4ubuntu3.14.04.1 Show 4 moreShow less0.105-4ubuntu3.14.04.20.105-4ubuntu3.14.04.50.105-4ubuntu3.14.04.60.105-4ubuntu3.14.04.6+esm1 |
None known |
policykit-1Ubuntu:Pro:16.04:LTS |
All versions, plus listed versions 0.105-11ubuntu20.105-130.105-13ubuntu10.105-140.105-14.1 Show 4 moreShow less0.105-14.1ubuntu0.10.105-14.1ubuntu0.40.105-14.1ubuntu0.50.105-14.1ubuntu0.5+esm1 |
None known |
policykit-1Ubuntu:18.04:LTS |
All versions, plus listed versions 0.105-180.105-200.105-20ubuntu0.18.04.10.105-20ubuntu0.18.04.40.105-20ubuntu0.18.04.50.105-20ubuntu0.18.04.6 |
None known |
policykit-1Ubuntu:20.04:LTS |
All versions, plus listed versions 0.105-26ubuntu10.105-26ubuntu1.10.105-26ubuntu1.20.105-26ubuntu1.3 |
None known |
policykit-1Ubuntu:22.04:LTS |
All versions, plus listed versions 0.105-310.105-31ubuntu10.105-31.10.105-320.105-330.105-33ubuntu0.10.105-33ubuntu0.2 |
None known |
Show 4 moreShow less
| Package | Affected | Fixed |
|---|---|---|
policykit-1Ubuntu:24.04:LTS |
All versions, plus listed versions 123-1123-3124-1124-1ubuntu1124-2ubuntu1124-2ubuntu1.24.04.2124-2ubuntu1.24.04.3124-2ubuntu1.24.04.4 |
None known |
policykit-1Ubuntu:25.10 |
All versions, plus listed versions 126-2126-2ubuntu0.1 |
None known |
policykit-1Ubuntu:26.10 |
All versions, plus listed versions 127-2ubuntu1127-3127-3ubuntu1 |
None known |
policykit-1Ubuntu:26.04:LTS |
All versions, plus listed versions 126-2127-1127-2127-2ubuntu1127-2ubuntu1.1 |
None known |
History
| Recorded | Changed | Sources |
|---|---|---|
| facts | OSV | |
| first indexed | CVE List, EUVD, GitHub Advisories, NVD, OSV |
Dates are when Every CVE recorded each change. Upstream dates may differ.
In short
CVE-2016-2568 is a high vulnerability (CVSS 7.8) in Freedesktop Polkit, published February 13, 2017. No source lists public exploit code. EPSS puts the chance of exploitation in the next 30 days at 0.37%, the 30th percentile. Fixed in polkit 123-1.